Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a waste management system. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to an incentive-based waste reduction system and method thereof.
Description of Related Art
The cost of waste collection and disposal in many cities around the world has reached a critical level. The decrease in available landfill capacity translates directly into an increase in cost for disposing of municipal solid waste. As such, cities and towns across the United States and around the world are seeking cost-efficient alternatives to landfill disposal and other increasingly costly forms of waste processing.
Furthermore, even where landfill capacity exists, there remains the potential for environmental hazards associated with landfill operation. Toxic chemicals and other hazardous substances contained in landfills have the potential to leech into the surrounding environment, causing contamination of groundwater and soil. Additionally, the methane gas produced from the decomposition of decaying waste matter is a greenhouse gas, having a warming potential which is about twenty-five times that of carbon dioxide. As such, disposal of non-reusable materials has a significant impact on the environment, which will negatively impact the future of our planet.
In view of the above described financial and environmental consequences associated with the disposal of waste in landfills, many municipalities have been encouraged to actively pursue alternatives to conventional waste disposal. Although there have been many attempts made in the past to implement a system for promoting recycling habits and discouraging disposal of non-reusable materials, none have yet been practical, feasible, or effective for achieving their intended purpose.
Thus, there is a need for an incentive-based system designed to encourage waste reduction, and a method of operating and managing the same.